Two nights to the Bahamas, and it’s 5 o’clock somewhere the whole way.
Margaritaville at Sea is the Jimmy Buffett resort brand afloat, and it is the shortest, least expensive way onto a cruise ship in America: Margaritaville at Sea Paradise sails 2-night round trips from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama Island every other day, year-round, and the larger Margaritaville at Sea Islander does 4 to 7 nights from Tampa to Cozumel, Progreso and Key West. Expect Fins Up, a LandShark Bar, the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar and a crowd that came to have fun. It suits first-time cruisers, Florida weekenders, bachelor and bachelorette groups, and the Heroes Sail Free crowd of first responders, military and teachers. SmartCruiser shows every Margaritaville at Sea sailing with taxes and fees included, SmartCruiser picks first, and SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit per stateroom on sailings where the line allows it.
Three ways to sail with Margaritaville at Sea
Pick one and the list below filters to it. Same flip-flops, three different lengths.
The 2-night Bahamas run
- Palm Beach to Freeport and back, sailing every other day so a Friday departure is always close
- A full beach day on Grand Bahama, or stay aboard for the pool and the bars
- Drive to the port, park, and be back home in 48 hours
Best for: first cruises, birthdays, a bachelorette weekend, trying cruising for very little
4 and 5 nights from Tampa
- Islander to Key West and Cozumel, or Cozumel and Progreso, Thursday to Monday
- A bigger ship with more restaurants, a Cuban cafe and a sports bar
- Tampa is an easy drive for most of Florida and a short flight for everyone else
Best for: couples, Gulf Coast families, a Cozumel beach day without a week off
6 and 7 nights in the Western Caribbean
- Cozumel, Progreso for Chichen Itza, Key West and sometimes Grand Cayman or Belize
- The most sea days, which on this ship means the most pool time
- The lowest 7-night Caribbean fares you will find
Best for: spring break, summer with the kids, a Buffett fan’s full week
Margaritaville at Sea deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Margaritaville at Sea sailing from Palm Beach and Tampa, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings, bonus onboard credit or a Special SmartCruiser rate we hold on that departure. Below them, every other sailing with full sorting.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Margaritaville at Sea sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Where Margaritaville at Sea sails
Two Florida ports, the Bahamas and the Gulf. Pick a region and the list above filters to it.
Lines you may also like
If a short, inexpensive Florida cruise is the goal, these are the other lines to compare.
When to go
Florida sails all year; what changes is the crowd and the price.
Margaritaville at Sea questions we answer every day
What is included in the fare?
Your stateroom, meals in the main dining room, the buffet and the casual venues, the pool, live music and the shows. Drinks are extra, with margarita and beer packages available; specialty dining, excursions and the daily gratuities are extra too. We show the drink packages next to the fare so you know the real total before you go.
What are the ships like?
Paradise is a classic-era ship refreshed in Margaritaville colors, carrying about 1,000 guests on the 2-night run; Islander is larger, about 2,600 guests, with more restaurants, a bigger pool deck and the Fins Up water slide. Neither is new and neither pretends to be luxury. The crowd is casual, Floridian, 21 and up at the bars, and there to have a good time.
Is there a dress code?
No. Flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt are the house uniform, and the dining room will not turn you away in shorts.
How does Heroes Sail Free work?
Qualifying first responders, active and retired military and teachers sail with the cruise fare waived on eligible dates; taxes, fees and gratuities are still paid, and the companion in the stateroom pays the regular fare. Eligibility is verified with ID at booking. Tell us which category you fall into and we confirm which sailings qualify.
Do I need a passport?
Both ships sail round trip from US ports, so US citizens can travel with a government-issued photo ID and an original or certified birth certificate. We still recommend a passport, because flying home from the Bahamas or Mexico without one is a problem. Everyone else needs a passport.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Gratuities, drinks, excursions and parking are extra, and we tell you the total before you book.
Talk to a Margaritaville at Sea specialist
Tell us your dates and your port and we price every Margaritaville at Sea sailing, 2 nights to 7, with the bonus onboard credit included. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.